I've Loved You So Long
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Movie Reviews of I've Loved You So Long
Movie Review: Brilliant
Summary: 5 Stars
While I've never been such a Philistine as to decline to see a film because it is in an unknown language and I'd have to read the subtitles, there is usually a sense of emotional distance when you have to read the words yourself. In the case of I've Loved You So Long, I felt no such distance. Indeed, this is the first time I've cried in a movie since... I don't know when. Sure, I am a callous bastard, but I often find myself moved by a film, only, rarely do I find myself as moved as I was by this one.
I've Loved You So Long focuses on the story of Juliette Fontaine coming from prison to live with her sister, who was a young adolescent when she was incarcerated. The tensions of living with an extended family are exacerbated by Juliette's personality, which it is accepted is altered by her time in gaol. Philippe Claudel's story is beautifully structured to release just as much information as is necessary to keep you interested, while retaining just enough mystery to keep you on the edge of your seat.
I have never seen a French film that I haven't liked, but I have also never seen a French film of this calibre. It is an outstanding piece of storytelling, full of pathos and charm.
Movie Review: Digs Deep Into Your Soul
Summary: 5 Stars
In a riveting performance Kristin Scott Thomas (The English Patient), is a woman, Juliette, newly released after serving fifteen years in prison for murdering her six year old son. She should have won an Oscar for her acting, which never once seems anything but real. Why and if she murdered her son is a mystery until the very end of the movie. It seems impossible to reconcile the image of a former doctor and gentle person with such a callous and brutal act.
The film focuses on the present and Juliette's efforts to adapt to society after all those incarcerated years. Thanks to her loyal and loving sister and her sister's family she gradually makes that transition. When we first see Juliette on screen, her face is marred by harsh lines and sadness. She is so toughened that we know instantly that she has suffered traumatically. Like a wounded animal, she learns to trust and with that trust her face softens, her personality changes, and we see the real Juliette emerge.
This is a film gem: the writing, acting, direction are all superb. In some way it is reminiscent of The Visitor, a quiet film that also grabs your emotions and digs deep into your heart.
Movie Review: Superb Duet
Summary: 5 Stars
Your reaction to this French film will depend entirely on your appreciation of acting, of the near-miraculous performances of Kristin Scott Thomas and Elsa Zylberstein as sisters reunited after a calamity. I WILL NOT tell you anything more about the tale. Director Philippe Claudel doesn't want me to; his film is artfully structured to keep the viewer uninformed, perhaps even unwarned, of various facts. THERE ARE NO FLASHBACKS, and that in itself is refreshing in the context of the "cinema" of today. The performances of the two sister/actresses is so convincing, and the cinematography so crafty, that any reservations some reviewers have expressed about the plausibility of the plot need not be heeded. If Scott Thomas and Zylberstein were singers, and their acting were a Baroque duet by Handel, I'd hitchhike across Texas in tie-dye and love beads to hear them.
I suppose I might mention that this is a sad, sad story, not a piquant French comedy. My wife chose it, I was skeptical through the first ten minutes - until the background musak vanished - and then I began to believe in the characters.
Movie Review: Ms. Scott Thomas: lovely and talented in two languages & deserving of her Golden Globe nom.
Summary: 5 Stars
I loved this film. Another reviewer called it a "grey day movie." I think that statement captures the film's mood and feel perfectly.
Philippe Claudel - this movie's writer and director - just takes you into this little world he constructed for 1 hour and 55 minutes. Along the way, his damaged protagonist - indelibly played by Kristin Scott Thomas (lovely and talented in two languages & deserving of her Golden Globe nomination) - lets out small bits of what led her to be confined to prison for such a long stretch. Elsa Zylberstein is fetching and winning as Scott Thomas' on-screen baby sister, Léa. Her love and commitment for her sister, Juliette (Ms. Scott Thomas) - no matter the cost - is brave and, ultimately, triumphant.
And, hey, in a Hollywood movie you'd never see a guy looking like Laurent Grévill getting to woo the girl in such an understated and respectful way. Since I do not look unlike Grévill in the hairline department, Mr. Claudel gets a hat tip for an excellent casting choice!
Movie Review: an absolutely beautiful, yet stark, story of redemption and love
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a wonderfully deep and affecting film about a woman as she struggles to move from prison and unspeakable guilt back into life. Thomas' every gesture exudes the depression and emptiness of a person who has dried up inside after an ordeal that would kill most people. Fortunately, she has an extraordinary sister, who is in a good marriage and has the strength to offer a space for her to begin to regenerate; the sister accepts her without knowing the full story, with the wisdom that it will take time and is worth the effort. Slowly, she comes out of her shell, forming tentative relationships through long conversations and the acceptance of care. There are setbacks, but the rebirth is completely believable and wonderfully moving.
Thomas explores a dazzling array of subtle mental states, to the point that I will want to review this film over the years. It is rare that I find a film so moving, so realistic, that it brought me to tears. Warmly recommended for anyone who likes deeply psychological arthouse film.